1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a reproduction apparatus and a reproduction method by which, from a recording medium on or from which main data, sub data relating to the main data, main management data indicative of recorded positions of the main data, and sub management data indicative of recorded positions of the sub data and reproduction starting timings of the sub data are recorded or reproduced, the main data and the sub data are reproduced based on the main management data and the sub management data in synchronism with each other, and a recording apparatus and a recording method by which recording of the main data and the sub data onto the recording medium is performed parallelly.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a recording apparatus and a reproduction apparatus which can record and reproduce music and so forth, a recording apparatus and a reproduction apparatus are known on which a magneto-optical disc, a magnetic tape or the like on which audio data are recorded as a digital signal is used as a recording medium.
In a recording and reproduction system in which a magneto-optical disc known as mini disc (Trade Mark) is used, a user not only can record and reproduce audio data of tunes and so forth as programs, but also can record a disc name as a title of the disc, track names as titles of the programs such as tunes recorded on the disc, and so forth as character information on the disc. For example, upon reproduction, the disc title, the titles of the tunes, the names of the artists and so forth can be displayed on a display section of a reproduction apparatus.
It is to be noted that, in the present specification, the term xe2x80x9cprogramxe2x80x9d is used to signify a unit of audio data or the like such as a tune as main data recorded on a disc. For Example, audio data for one tune make one program. Also the term xe2x80x9ctrackxe2x80x9d is used in the same significance as the xe2x80x9cprogramxe2x80x9d.
A mini disc system in which a mini disc is used as a recording medium has been proposed by the Assignee of the present invention wherein a recording region into which sub data incidental to audio data as main data can be recorded is provided separately from a recording region into which the main data are recorded on a mini disc such that still picture data and character data can be recorded as the sub data. It is to be noted that the character data in the present specification include also data of symbols, marks and so forth.
For example, also a conventional mini disc system different from the mini disc system described above can record character information such as a disc name and a track name. Such character information is recorded in a corresponding relationship to each program in the U-TOC (User Table Of Contents) of a mini disc. However, since the U-TOC itself does not have a very large capacity, it merely allows recording of characters of titles and so forth.
In contrast, where a recording region for sub data is provided on a mini disc as described above, it can be realized readily to record not only character information but also video data which do not require a very large capacity such as, for example, a still picture.
As a form of utilization of sub data where a mini disc system is so configured as to record video and character information as sub data in addition to audio data as main data onto a mini disc, it seems a possible idea, for example, to prescribe a reproduction time or times of one or a plurality of data files as one or a plurality of sub data with respect to a reproduction time of a program of main data to reproduce or output the data file or files in synchronism with reproduction of the program.
More particularly, for example, it is assumed that a program of main data as a tune having a playing time of 2 minutes and two still picture files Picture #1 and #2 as sub data whose synchronous reproduction times are prescribed with respect to the program are recorded on a disc. Then, in accordance with the prescribed synchronous reproduction times the still picture file Picture #1 is displayed or outputted in synchronism for one minute of the former half of the 2-minute period within which audio reproduction of the program is performed, and the still picture file Picture #2 is displayed in synchronism for one minute of the latter half.
The configuration which allows such synchronous reproduction not only allows enjoyment of a program such as a tune reproduced as sound but allows a different manner of enjoyment such as to enjoy a still picture or characters displayed in accordance with a progress of the tune being reproduced.
Main data of programs and data files as sub data are information recorded on a disc. Accordingly, in order to effect synchronous reproduction in such a manner as described above, naturally it is necessary to read out the information of the programs and the data files and reproduce the information.
In this instance, the data of the programs are audio data and are information having continuity. Therefore, interruption in a reproduction output of such program data must be avoided as far as possible. Accordingly, in order to allow synchronized reproduction of a data file to be performed with certainty while preventing interruption in a reproduction output of a program, for example, when a disc is loaded, all data files which are prescribed to be reproduced in synchronism with programs are read out from the disc and stored into a predetermined storage area such as, for example, a memory of the mini disc system. Then, starting of reproduction of a program is enabled only after the storage of data files into the memory is completed. The configuration described is considered one of reasonable methods.
However, if the configuration described is adopted, then reproduction of a program cannot be started for a period before the storage operation of all data files into the memory is completed, for example, for several seconds although the period depends upon the sizes of all data files. Consequently, the user is obliged to wait until the storage operation of data files is completed even though the user wants to perform reproduction of a program, for example, immediately after a disc is loaded. This imposes an operational stress on the user as much.
In particular, from a point of view of the convenience in use of an apparatus, it is demanded that, in addition to the requirement that synchronized reproduction of a data file can be performed without suffering from interruption of a reproduction audio output of a program, reproduction of a program can be started as rapidly as possible, for example, after a disc is loaded.
Further, where the configuration described above is adopted, if the capacity of a data file increases, then it is required to increase also the capacity of the memory for storing data files. However, when an apparatus is constructed, an increase of the capacity of the memory gives rise to additional problems such as an increase of the number of parts, an increase of the power consumption by the increased number of parts and an increase of the part cost. Therefore, for example, where the configuration described above is applied to a portable apparatus of a small size driven by a battery, exhaustion of the battery is accelerated and miniaturization of the apparatus is hindered.
Further, if attention is paid to the convenience of use of a mini disc system apparatus which can reproduce a data file in synchronism with a program, it is inevitably demanded to make it possible to record still picture data or a character information file selected by the user as a data file to be reproduced in synchronism with a program onto a disc. In other words, for a mini disc system, it is demanded to adopt a configuration which not only allows recording of program data but also allows recording of data files. Also it is demanded to pay attention so that recording of two different kinds of data including such program data and data files as described above can be performed as efficiently as possible.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reproduction apparatus and method and a recording apparatus and method by which two different kinds of data can be reproduced and recorded efficiently.
In order to attain the object described above, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproduction apparatus for playing back a recording medium, on which one or a plurality of main data to be reproduced continuously with respect to time, main management data to be used for management of recorded positions of the main data, one or a plurality of sub data, and sub management data to be used for management of recorded positions and reproduction operation definitions of the sub data are recorded, based on the main management data to intermittently perform reading out of the main data from the recording medium, including main data storage means for temporarily storing the main data read out from the recording medium, and control means for intermittently reading out the main data from the recording medium based on the main management data and storing the main data into the main data storage means and for reading out the sub data from the recording medium based on the sub management data within a period within which reading of the main data is not performed and reproducing the sub data in a synchronized or non-synchronized relationship with the reproduction of the main data based on the reproduction operation definitions of the sub data managed with the sub management data.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium, which allows recording thereon of one or a plurality of main data inputted continuously with respect to time and one or a plurality of sub data and has main management data to be used for management of recorded positions of the main data and sub management data to be used for management of recorded positions of the sub data, the main data intermittently based on the main management data, including main data storage means for temporarily storing the main data, and control means for writing the main data stored in the main data storage means intermittently onto the recording medium based on the main management data and writing the sub data onto the recording medium based on the sub management data within a period within which writing of the main data is not performed.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproduction method for playing back a recording medium, on which one or a plurality of main data to be reproduced continuously with respect to time, main management data to be used for management of recorded positions of the main data, one or a plurality of sub data, and sub management data to be used for management of recorded positions and reproduction operation definitions of the sub data are recorded, based on the main management data to intermittently perform reading out of the main data from the recording medium, including a step of intermittently reading out the main data from the recording medium based on the main management data, storing the main data into main data storage means provided for temporarily storing the main data, reading out the sub data from the recording medium based on the sub management data within a period within which reading of the main data is not performed, and reproducing the sub data in a synchronized or non-synchronized relationship with the reproduction of the main data based on the reproduction operation definitions of the sub data managed with the sub management data.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording method for recording onto a recording medium, which allows recording thereon of one or a plurality of main data inputted continuously with respect to time and one or a plurality of sub data and has main management data to be used for management of recorded positions of the main data and sub management data to be used for management of recorded positions of the sub data, the main data intermittently based on the main management data, including a step of writing the main data stored in main data storage means provided for temporarily storing the main data intermittently onto the recording medium based on the main management data and writing the sub data onto the recording medium based on the sub management data within a period within which writing of the main data is not performed.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements denoted by like reference symbols.